Vacation
by Pop the day
Summary: Summer is here and Ned and Cookie are hitting the open road Chicago-bound with one of Ned's biggest admirers. What will happen out on the highway and how is Moze is going go about with this situation? My first real attempt at a Noze story, sort of.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Whoa! It's great to be back! Sorry I've been gone for so long, but I actually have a life that made me neglect for a while. Here's a new story I'm starting. Hope you all enjoy it. (BTW, you may want to read the "Ned's Declassified High School Survival Guide" story first so you know who's who with the new characters).**

The hallways of Michael S. Dukakis High School were more upbeat than any other day of the year. Why, you ask? It's the last day of classes of the school year! At this time, it was the point in the day students had to clean out their lockers. Ned was cleaning out his locker and Cookie came by having finished with locker.

"Well, Cookie, we made it." Ned said.

"What do you mean?" Cookie asked.

"Cookie! How do you not know what I mean? We're finished with 9th grade!"

"I know! It's amazing!"

Ned began cleaning out his locker again; stuffing everything he could into his backpack or the garbage.

"So, you're going to graduation on Saturday night?" Cookie asked.

"Cook, my sister… she's graduating, I'm pretty obligated to go. You can come with me if you want."

"Eh, maybe…"

"So what are you doing this summer?" Ned asked changing the subject.

"I'm working with some computer repair service in town. But my boss said I can have really flexible hours so I still have time to hang with you. You?"

"I and my family are going to the Florida Keys right after the 4th of July. I think Moze and her family is going with us, we haven't really finalized anything yet."

"Well, now the perfect time to ask her!" Cookie said as Moze came down the hallway to Ned's locker. Ned immediately ran up to her.

"Wow, Ned, a bit jumpy are we?" Moze asked.

"Not exactly." Ned said, "Oh, yeah, I need to ask you about something."

"What?"

"Independence Day weekend, are you and your family still coming with me to the Florida Keys?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ned. Something came up."

"What?"

"Well, I'm to Medora, Wisconsin to spend Independence Day weekend with my aunt and my cousins."

"Moze, you're kidding! We've been planning this for months!"

"I'm sorry, Ned, but Mom's forcing all of us up there. But don't worry; I'll be back by that Sunday."

Ned couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was very excited about this vacation but now his plans for a great weekend crumbled on him. But he didn't let that get in his way of ruining the last day of school before finals. Thankfully, gym was next period and Mr. Behrens rarely cared what you did on the last day of classes. He and Moze were sitting around minding their own business when they were greeted by a loud obnoxious "BIGBY!!" It was Carissa Nelson and Sarah Gezer, two sophomores-going-on-juniors. Back when Ned decided to do the school musical that year, Carissa and her friends had an odd fascination with Ned, probably because he was paired up with one of them during an ensemble number. In the weeks after the show's end, the fascination was still there, but to a much lesser extent. Sarah didn't do the show, but certainly made a point of being just as obsessed as her friends were.

"Ned, we're really going to miss you this summer!" Carissa said.

"Um… yeah, okay…" Ned muttered.

"Ned! Why don't you love us?!" Sarah yelled.

"I refuse to answer that." Ned said staring in the other direction.

"Seriously, guys," Moze began, "what is with you guys and Ned?"

"He's just so… Neddy…" Carissa said.

"Well, I hate to break it to you," Moze said, "but he's taken."

Carissa shrugged. "That's life I guess."

"Wow, Carissa, that's the wisest thing I've ever heard you say." Ned said.

Carissa and Sarah laughed it off and began walking away. Ned turned to Moze and said "I won't be missing those two this summer."

Carissa and Sarah turned back to Ned and came back.

"Your not gonna miss us, Ned?" Sarah said giving Ned sad puppy dog eyes.

"Quite frankly, Sarah, no."

"Well, it's not like we're gonna be around anyway." Carissa said.

"Why? Where are you going, Carissa?" Ned asked.

"My parents are taking me and my sister on a road trip to Chicago."

"All I can say is have fun."

Gym came and went and it was soon off to Mr. Mosely's social studies class. Again, he never did anything on the last of classes. He just gave stuff back and gave his famous end-of-the-year speech.

"This class is one of the best I've ever had." He began. "Of course, I've managed to have my daughter still manage to speak to her dad at home even when you have him as a teacher."

"Daaaaadddd!" Moze muttered.

"Sorry, Jennifer, I had to." He said smiling. He went on and on about how he was going to miss everybody next year and wish them the best of luck in 10th grade, the usually preachy stuff. And then, finally, 2:35pm hit. School's out! Students ran out of Dukakis is masses, especially Ned.

"Yay!" Ned yelled "School's out! We're officially done with ninth grade!"

"Ned, you realize we still have finals?" Moze said.

"Finals are a breeze! For me, summer starts now!" Ned replied.

When Ned got home, his mother was on the phone with the hotel they were going to be staying at while they were in the Florida Keys. She looked pretty mad.

"What do you mean you had to delay our week?!" She yelled into the phone. "We made the reservations months ago!" She went on arguing on the phone before hanging up. "Unbelievable!" she said as Kaitlyn, who was interning at the bank in town, came in.

"Mom, what happened?" Kaitlyn said.

"Katie, Ned, I was just talking to the hotel manager. They had to delay our week; we're not going to the Florida Keys for the 4th of July." Mrs. Bigby said.

"Aw, man," Kaitlyn said. "I was looking forward to starting college with a great tan."

"Sure, Katie, that's all you worry about!" Ned said to his sister. "I really don't mind, I was talking to Moze before, her family can't come with us. So I'm fine with this."

That night, Ned was on the computer and decided to look up Chicago out plain curiosity. Upon looking up tourist attractions in the city, he came across the Chicago Bulls' website. Being a casual basketball follower, Ned looked at their schedule of upcoming games, he noticed a big one: **CHICAGO BULLS vs. NEW YORK KNICKS – July 3**. The NBA's most successful team up against the Chicago Bulls excited Ned a lot. And it'd be in Chicago to boot! Then it hit him… Chicago is thousands of miles away; no way would his parents take him to Chicago just for a 3-hour game. He sighed… and then realized that Carissa was going to Chicago. He took out his cell phone, took a big breath in, and dialed Carissa's cell phone number. Meanwhile, Carissa and one her other friends Nora were at Carissa's house looking through the latest issue of Teen Scene Magazine pointing out the sexiest guys when her phone rang. She answered it.

"Hello?"

"Carissa, it's Ned."

"Who is it?" Nora asked.

"Ned!" Carrisa said to her.

"Ned?!" Nora exclaimed, promptly fainting on the ground.

"What do you need, Ned?" Carissa asked.

"So, your family is going on a road trip to Chicago for Independence Day right?"

"Yeah, we still are?"

"And you'll be there the night before, I hope?"

"Yeah, we're probably getting there that afternoon."

"Listen, my parent's hotel reservations fell through so I'm free for the 4th, so I was wondering… could I maybe… go with you and your family on that road trip?"

"Uh… I'll talk to my parents, but they'll probably let you."

"OK, thanks!"

"Bye."

"Bye."

Carissa hung up, Nora regained her composure.

"What did Ned want?" Nora asked.

"He wants to go on the road trip to Chicago with me." She said dreamingly. Meanwhile, Ned was thinking to himself and he realized… "I'm going to Chicago with **HER**!?"

**To be continued. What antics will Ned and Carissa get into on the road? We'll have to wait and see!**


	2. Chapter 2

Finals at this point have come and gone, as has graduation

Finals at this point have come and gone, as has graduation. Ned hadn't told Moze that he was heading with the Nelsons to Chicago; he didn't feel the need to. It was the first of July, he and Moze were both going to be back by the evening of the fifth; it'd be like Ned was never gone. She knew the reservations the Bigbys had been delayed till several weeks later, which gave them both something to look forward to.

The Moselys were still on their way to Medora, Wisconsin. The morning they were heading to the airport, Ned, out of desiring to be a good neighbor, was helping Moze bring luggage out to the family car. The two were conversing like they always did.

"So you're okay with me going to Medora for the holiday?" Moze asked.

"Oh, I'll be fine!" Ned said.

"Don't you think you'll be a little lonely while I'm gone?"

"I have Cookie and Javier to keep me company."

"I know, but how you bear to around Javier for more than a minute?"

"I agree that Javier is annoying and all, but, he's a good guy. Has a lot of heart in him."

Mr. Mosely came out of house and yelled to his daughter, "Jennifer! Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah, everything's packed!" She said to her dad. Mr. and Mrs. Mosely got into the car and Moze looked at Ned and said "Ned, happy Independence Day. And I'll call you once I get to Wisconsin."

"OK, great!" Ned said.

Moze got into the car and the family drove away. And Ned went into his house, packing for his road trip the next day. Thankfully, both the Nelsons and Ned's parents were okay with Ned going with the Nelsons on their Chicago road trip, but Ned was still hell-bent to get his Chicago Bulls tickets, but didn't know how to get to the ticket service on the road. The next morning, Ned and Cookie went to the Nelson house with their suitcases and knocked on the door. Carissa had seen them looking out her window and sprinted to the door as soon as she saw them out front and opened it for him.

"Bonjour, Ned!" She said.

"What's with the French?" Ned asked.

"I don't know, isn't French the… language of love, un copain?"

"You're lucky I don't know what means."

Carissa slightly grinned and then noticed Cookie. "Who's that?" she asked Ned.

"Oh, this is my best pal Cookie." Ned put his arm around Cookie's shoulder.

"Cookie? Like the… Cookie Monster, I guess?" Carissa asked.

"Oh, no, no, no, no," Ned said, "Cookie is just a nickname."

"Simon Nelson-Cook at your service!" Cookie yelled in a mock deep voice.

"Ooooookayyy…" Carissa mumbled under her breath, "And tell me Ned why is he here?"

"He's coming with us!" Ned said.

"Why?"

"He keeps me sane on that long car ride."

"I hope you don't mind." Cookie said.

"No, not at all." Carissa said. "It's okay, Sarah's coming with us, too."

Ned stood there blankly not knowing what to say. It was at this point that Carissa's little sister, who had just graduated from Polk a few days ago, Gemma. And Ned had known Gemma, too! Her social clique, not unlike Carissa's, had a thing for Ned as well. Ned's jaw dropped when Gemma came downstairs.

"Is Gemma one of your guests, too?" Ned asked.

"No," Carissa said, "Ned, you didn't know we were sisters?"

"Well," Ned began, "Nelson is a very common last name but, um… no."

"I can't wait for our little road trip, Neddy, it's gonna be lots of fun!" Gemma said.

Ned then quickly asked, "Excuse me for a minute."

Ned walked through the kitchen out to the Nelson's backyard. The house became dead silent until a loud "**HHHHHHHAAAAAAEEEEELLLLLLLPP!!**" came from the backyard. Ned came back inside and nonchalantly stood next to Cookie. "Sorry, I kind of needed to get that out of my system." Ned said.

Time went by and Sarah made it to the Nelson house and everyone (by everyone, just Mr. Nelson, Ned and Cookie of course) put their luggage in the car and were out on the road Chicago-bound!

**Stay tuned soon enough for chapter 3! The journey's just beginning!**


End file.
